Apparatus for operating switches



v Augs 1L2 E924a 1,504,472

/ E. H. GRIM APPARATUS FOR OPERATING SWITCHES Original Filed June 20. 1923 'miql.

Edward if. 677).

' ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 12, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,504,415 PATENT OFF-ICE.-

EDWARD H. GRIM, or room, WEST VIRGINIA.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING SWITCHES.-

Original application filed June 20, 1923, Serial No. 646,731. Divided and this application filed March 4, 1924. Serial no. 696,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. GRIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dott, in the county of Mercer and State of West Virginia, have invented-certainnew and useful'Improvements in Apparatus for Operating Switches, of which the following is a specification. I

'The invention resides in the provision of apparatus for controlling and indicating the movement of switches such as are employed in mining operations and for movable elements of similar 'nature.

Primarily the invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of the class described which is of simple and relatively inexpensive construction and in which'the parts are so constructed and correlatively arranged as to effect the desired movement of the mine switches in a safe and positive manner and whereby the operation of the said moving elements may be effected from a distance.

In its more detailed nature, the invention has for its object the provision of electrically controlled. means foroperating switches to permit the passing thereover of the ore con veying cars, means mounted on the traveling cars whereby the operating. means may be causedto function at the will of the operator riding on the cars and at any desired distance from the particular switch, and means mounted on the traveling car, and in view of the operator thereof for indicating the position of the distant switchto be operated.

The invention further has for its object to provide electrically controlled and operated apparatus of the type stated in which the operating parts are driven by an electric motor, in which provision is made for preventing overloading of the motor during its operativefunc'tion, in which the parts are so arranged as to permit a period of free operation of the motor before strain of actual operation is imposed thereupon, and wherein the parts are so designed and arranged as to eifect a positive locking of'the elements to be moved to their various positions.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be fully described andthen' be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being which: V r I r. I Figure 1 is. a diagrammatic plan view of my invention. Y i I -Figure 2 is a cross section taken across the switch-at the-interval ofthe operating had to the accompanying drawing, in

screw.

Figure 3is an enlarged plan viewof the contact switch. f V a In the drawing, my invention trated as operatively applied within amine passage and as especially adaptable for=controlling switches therein. In the. drawing 64 indicates the straight trackway, 65 the curved trackway cooperative therewith and 66 the switcher movable element adapted to be shifted from one position to the other by action of the motorv with the application of the peculiar mechanism of my invention. The motor is indicated at 67 and the drive shaft 68 thereof is joinediby a friction slip clutch connection 69 with the operating shaft portion 7 0 which is properly threaded at the desired pitch. I I

r The ind'vidual parts of the movable switch element 66 are joined by the-cross plate 71 which is provided with a longitudinal slotway 72 forproviding a lostmotion connection for the operating nut 73 provided with an internally threaded bore for accommodating the threaded portionof the operating screw 70. In this form the locomotives93 may be provided with a pair of indicating signals or lights, as indicated at 7tand- 75- which,

for example, may be red and green lights,

one to indicate; the clear position of the track and the other to indicate the danger position or open switch. I

In this form of the invention a set of aircuit contact wires are also provided parallelly adjacent the trackway 64, and in the drawings, see Figure 1, these wires are indicated as 76, 77, 78, 79 and 80.. I

The trolley wire is indicated at 81, the motor field is designated at 82 and the'motor armature winding is designated at 83. One terminal of the motor field 82 is in electrical communication with the trolley wire 81 through the medium of the wire 84 and the other terminal of the motor field is in elecfis ilhistrical communication through the wire 86 r ing are in' electrical communication with; the

wiresa'lifi and which parallel the trackway 64 through the medium of the wires 85 and 87' respectively.

As shown best in Eigure 3 the switch a block 52 has a pair of contacts 55 to close the circuit between pairs ofconta'cts5715,7 or between a motor armature contact 57 and the adjacent grounded-contact 56 accordingly as the lever 42 ismoved in one direction or the other. Thus, it will, be readifi a parent reference to Figure 1 that as the switch is moved to one side or the' bther froni its'iieutral' or switch deenergized position the motor will be enercausedto operatein a direction in aiccordance with the side to which the switch block was, moved through thevarious'wires jiist fiesoribedfin likemanner, as hereinbe fore, described inedetail in connection with the door tpier'aia mechanism. For providing or the proper energization Oi? 'thflsighalsjfi and the, operating nut 73} is'gro ridconne cted, as at 88, to one of track 'rails "'Theoperating nut 73 is alseprovided" witha contacting finger 89", which' is adapted to engage at either of} lilitsof, lateral movement with a jpiiiir'of eentm 'emeach of which cooperates with 'th' fespelctive "easier the indicating 17,74;75fahovejreferred to. One of the, contacts 90 isfj'oined by a wire 91 with the 79 which parallels the'trackway are other 'of the contacts 90 is joined through the medium of- 'the wire. 92 with stemming-aim whieh parallels the e form of the invention, the contactinahingbar 94 is provided with a suita rs number of contacting plates to corres'poiid with thefnuiiiber of, wires paralleling eae tmkeay, that is, five and the one of theseoontacts which is adapted to engage therwirere isjjoined by a wire 96 'with one oii thefc ontactsff 57 of the switch contact echanismi The one of these plates which daptedito slidably-"engage the wire 77 ifs; eoaneeted bythe wire 97with the, centifal ly disposedone of the contact blades 57, the one adaptedte' ndamy engage the wire-7&fis joined through the medium or wire 98 with the remaining-one of the contact-"blades 57', the on thereof which is adapteclto slidablyengage the wire 79 is joined through-fthe 'medium of the wire 99 with one terminal ofthe indicating signal-74, and the 'one thereofwhich is adapted v to slidably engage the wire-80 is joined through the medium ofthe wire 100 with tihBftI'IlllzII-ii-lf of the indicating signal 75. 'The remaining termi'na l-sof each of the indicating signals- 74' and 75 are joined together bya cross wiref101, and this cross wire 1 01 isi n turn electrically connected, through the mediumofthe wire 102, with the wire 97 which, connects with the centrally disposed; contact 57 and the wire 77 which parallels the trackway 64.

It will be readily apparent, by reference to Figure 1, that;wh,en the switch mechanism has been moved to the position indicated in that figure. and with the contact block 73 over in position for having its contact fingers engage the contact farthest to the rigl it in that figure, and the contact making arm 94 raised, that a complete electric circuit will be made such as will energize the particular signal 75 through the ground connectioni'and the wire 88, through the block 73, the finger 89; that particular contact 90, its connecting wire 92, the wire 80, the wire 100,. through the signal 75., the short portion of the cross overwire 101 between the light 75 and its connection with the wire 102, through the wire 102, the wire 98, the wire 77, the wire 85, through the field 82 of the motor and through the wire 84 to the trolley wire 81. By reference to the said figure, it will be observed that when the operating nut 73 is in its opposite position the light 74 will be brought into play in" the same manner as above indicated and through its respective wiring circuit.

B'y reason of providing this threaded operating shaft for moving the movable element, either switch or doors, it will be readily apparent that the said element is held locked at either limit of its movement and in fact at any portion of its movement it should be desired to open the doors partially which, however, is not the case in the preferred "operation of the system disclosed.

Also by providing the element shifting means with a lost motion feature it will be readily understood that the motor is given a chanceto properly pick up speed before the strain of actual operation, incident to the moving of the movable element, is placed uponthe motog 1 It is obvious that to operate the switch to a car moving from opposite directions, it is only necessary to duplicate the wiring arrangement at the opposite sides of the switch;

This application is a division of my application "for patent filed June 20, 1923, c rial No. 646,731.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection 'withthe accompanying drawing' s, the complete construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those" skilled in the art to which the invention appertains;

1'. In mine switch operating systems, the combinations with the switch to be opened orcl'osed, of anelectric motor for opening and closing the same, electric circuit controlling means on a mine car for effecting the actionof said motoras the car approaches the switch, a straight line screw shaft connection between the motor and the switch including a slip clutch spliced thereinto and a means for permitting lost motion whereby the motor will be permitted to pick up before moving the said switch, and signaling instrumentalities including signals on the'mine car and signal operating devices associated with the switch to be opened and closed, for indicating the particular position of the said switch.

2. In mine switch operating systems, the combination with the switch to be opened or closed, of an electric motor for opening and closing the same, electric circuit con trolling means .on a mine car for effecting the action of said motor as the car approaches the switch, a set of fixed circuit contacts connected with said motor, a movable con tact on a mine car adapted to be moved into engagement with said fixed circuit contacts as said vehicle passes same to effect connection between said circuit contacts and said motor to operate the same at the will of the operator, a straight line screw shaftconnection between the motor and the switch including a slip clutch spliced thereinto and a means for permitting lost motion whereby the motor will be permitted to pick up bethe action of said motor as the car approaches the switch, and signaling instrumentalities including signals on the mine car and signal operating devices associated with the switch to be opened and closed, for indicating the particular position of the said switch.

4. In mine switch operating systems, the combination with the switch to be opened or closed, of an electric motor for opening and closing the same, connections between said electric motor and said switch including means to lock the switch to its open or closed position, electric circuit controlling means on a mine car for effecting the action of said motor as the car approaches the switch, and signaling instrumentalities including signals on the mine car and signal operating devices associated with the switch to be opened and closed, for indicating the particular position of the said switch.

5. In mine switch operating systems, the combination with the switch to be opened or closed, of an electric mot-or for opening and closing the same, electric circuit controlling means on a mine car for effecting the action of said motor as the car approaches the switch, connections between said electric motor and said switch including a lost motion device to permit the motor to pick up before moving the said switch and including means to lock the switch to its open or closed position, and signaling instrumentalities including signals on the mine car and signal operating devices associated with the switch to be opened and closed for indicating the particular position of the said switch,

EDWARD H. GRIM. 

